Improved lever-paddle



i UNITED STATES Pri-TENT OFFICE.

JOHN HARRIS, OF KILBURN, LONDON, ENGLAND.

IMPROVED LEVER-PADDLE.

Spccilication forming part of Letters Patent No. 43,27 l, dated June 2l, 1864.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN HARRIS, of Kilburn, London, in the Kingdon of Great Britian, have invented a new and Improved Leverladdle for Propelling and Steering Vessels;

`and I do hereby declarev that the following is a tull, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ot' this specification, in which- Figure l represents a side elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same, the lines a: m, Fig. 2, indicating the plane of section. Fig. et is a detached side elevation of a feathering paddle constructed according to my invention.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to a certain novel arrangement of levers, paddles, rocking frames, and fnlcrums, whereby a greater percentage of the propelling-power is usefully applied than by using propellers of the ordinary construction, which may be used forthe propulsion or for the steering of vessels by causing Y a paddle so to act as to give the inertia of the water a greater purchase and by bringing the paddle into and from the water with as little resistance from or disturbance to the water as possible. l

The nature of my invention and its peculiar advantages will be readily understood from the following description:

A represents the hull of a vessel to which my lever-paddles are attached. B is the main crankaxle, of iron, passing through the vessel from side to side in the usual manner. To this axle are iirmly keyed the disks or cranks C, provided with suitable Wrist-pins, c, to which are connected the levers or handles F of the paddles E.

When made in its simplest form, my lever consists simply of the handle and blade, as shown in Fig. 2. 1 The handle is suspended from the eccentric wristpin a in the disk C, and it is provided with a guide-slot, which is equal in length to the stroke of the crank, and made to straddle a pin, d, projecting from the side of the vessel, or, instead of this slot and guide-pin, the handle of the paddle may be guided by two grooved frictionwheels, e, the axles or gudgeons of which have their bearings in an oscillating frame, f, as clearly represented at the stern of the vessel in Figs. 2 and 3. Instead of this arrangement, however, the desired motion may be imparted to the paddle by means of an eccentric, G, the strap of which connects by a link, g, with one end of the working-beam H, which has its fulcrum on a standard, h, and the other of which connects by a rod, i, with the upper end of the handle F of the paddle. The pivot j, connecting the rod t' with the handle, is guided in a slotted bracket, k, and the handle of the paddle is slotted and made to straddle a pin, l, which projects from the slotted brackets m, and to which a reciprocating motion is imparted by the action of the rock-shaft l. This rock-shaft is provided with two arms,u o, one of which connects by a pitman, p, with the main crank, while the other connects by a rod, q, with the pin l. By this arrangement ot' levers, shaft, slotted brackets, and guide-pins, a compound reciprocating and circularI motion is imparted to the paddle, causing the same to descend edgewise, pass rapidly through the water, and to ascend with the least possible resistance of and disturbance to the water. The desired motion of the paddle may also be produced by connecting its handle with a cross-head, which is guided by an oscillating slotted frame, F', suspended from two pivots, r, which are inserted in a suitable bracket or frame, K, secured tothe side of the vessel, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. rllhe oscillating-frame connects by a rod, s, with the arm u, secured to the end of the rock-shaft I, and the handle of the paddle is suspended from the wrist-pin a* of a crank, Gt, that is secured to the end ofthe main shaft B. By rotating the main crank-shaft the paddle receives a compound reciprocating and oscillating motion, which enables the same to descend into and to rise from the water with A bottom edges, so that they revolve in vertical planes, and they are operated by means of stirrups yv, secured to the ends of a s1nallrock,

shaft, e', which has its bearings in the lower ends of the handles F* and catching over arms o', Which are attached to the ends of the upper gudgeons of the paddles. The handles or bars Fi@ are slotted and made to straddle a stationary guide-pin, f', which projects from the side of the vessel, and the rock-shaft e receives its motion from a lever, g', which has its bearings in lugs projecting from the edges of the base Fit. One end of this lever is forked, and as the bars descend this forked end catches on the pin f', and the position of the lever is changed. The opposite end otsaid lever connects by a suitable rod with an arm projecting from the rock-shaft e and Whenever the position of the lever g is changed an oscillating motion is imparted to said rockshaft, and the paddles are opened or closed, as the case may be.

My lever-paddle constructed in either of the above described forms may be applied to the sides of a vessel, one or more to each side, for the purpose of propelling said vessel, or it may be applied to the stern between the rudder and stern-post, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, for the purpose of facilitating the operation of steering the vessel.

Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination ot' the slotted brackets k m and reciprocating pivots lj with the slotted handle F of the paddle E, and With the Working-beam H and rock-shaft I, all constructed and operating in the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein set forth.

J OHN HARRIS.

Witnesses CHARLES LEGGE, J AMES JUGLER. 

